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BLACKBEARD - Recovering "Queen Anne's Revenge"

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Author Topic: BLACKBEARD - Recovering "Queen Anne's Revenge"  (Read 10789 times)
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Bianca
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« Reply #30 on: December 08, 2008, 04:27:40 pm »









Conservation/Curation



While several thousand artifacts have already been recovered from Queen Anne's Revenge, the number thus far has been limited by the need for a proper conservation facility. The existing UAU laboratory at Fort Fisher, along with the NCMM's maritime archaeology conservation laboratory at Gallants Channel, is unable to handle large quantities of artifacts requiring treatment. The conservation of objects contained in the exposed mound alone will be a formidable task. Buried remains will number in the tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands. Some of those items may be as large as actual portions of the ship's structure. The visible section of the hull, for example, measures approximately 27 by 8 feet and will require heavy lifting equipment to bring to the surface, an adequately sized storage and conservation vat, and suitable quantities of bulking or impregnating agents to preserve the delicate wood.

At least fifteen cannons remain on the site. Each of these weapons will require its own storage and treatment tank, sacrificial anodes, and electrical power supply. Tanks measuring 10 by 3 by 3 feet require considerable space, and because the electrolytic reduction procedure emits hydrogen gas, the tanks must be well ventilated with fume hoods, or placed outdoors. Other large artifacts on site include four large and very heavy iron anchors, two of which still have wooden stocks attached. These composite artifacts will have to be disassembled before treatment can begin, and tanks must be made for each of the components.

One hundred tons of ballast stone is not an unrealistic estimate of the quantity of rocks on the shipwreck. Although relatively easy to store and clean, many will undoubtedly be concreted to other artifacts of differing material types. The vast majority of objects remaining on the site are encrusted groups of artifacts. Each concretion will need to be x-rayed, photographed, and disassembled, using the utmost care. The larger, more complex concretions will take a single conservator months to process. If complicated problems arise, specialists may have to be consulted, and artifacts such as clothing, fabric, or large quantities of cordage may have to be preserved elsewhere.

Conservation of artifacts recovered from a saltwater environment is a never-ending process. Long-term curation of a shipwreck artifact assemblage involves special considerations. Storage and exhibit areas must be climate controlled and secured, yet accessible for future study and analysis. Each artifact must be cataloged, measured, photographed, and all pertinent information entered into a computer database. Artifacts in storage must be continually inspected for corrosion and immediately re-treated if necessary.

Ideally, a new conservation facility should be constructed to store and process the entire variety of artifacts recovered from Queen Anne's Revenge while the assemblage is kept intact and available for display and study (see Appendix B). A laboratory located adjacent to permanent exhibit areas is also recommended to facilitate re-treatment of artifacts when necessary. Current trends utilize conservation facilities and personnel as living exhibits viewable by the general public, and a new facility will permit students and volunteers to become directly involved in artifact conservation.
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